I Dwell In Shadows
by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel
Summary: When Brianna Skywalker is wrongfully arrested as a Rebel spy, she begins a new life where she is slowly brought into the workings of the Empire. 4th chapter up! WIP
1. Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Author's Note:

This originally started as a single-chapter story, but it's turned into a longer story. I am currently writing chapter 4 and need to post the others up here. This story came to me when I wondered what the rebellious Anakin got up to between Episode I and II. It occurred to me that it was quite possible he had a couple of flings (being a teenage boy and all) and I wondered what would happen if he ended up having a kid he didn't know about. What would happen to them once he became Vader? I tried to make this a darker, more emotional story than my usual light, humorous style. Let me know if it worked.

Need to post:

Chapter Three: Conspiracy

(If you like these I intend to post up a few other stories I'm working on: _Why Earth?_ where Vader and other Star Wars characters are stranded on Earth and meet crazed fans and forgotten Jedi among other things; the Darth Loki stories, about a female Sith Lord exiled to Earth after the fall of the Empire and how she copes with everyday life (alternate universe story); _Tales of Anakin_, a series of stories about Ani when he was a padawan; an AU story about how a tool of the Sith lords becomes Empress and makes a great deal of changes – and its sequel, about how Imperial Princess Christylana (now aged twelve and raised on the non-Republic world of Earth) deals with discovering her identity as the daughter of Lord Vader and the former Galactic Empress Ariana.)

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**I DWELL IN SHADOWS**

**Chapter One: **

I have spent the most part of my life alone. I travel, another ordinary creature in a crowd of others, unremarkable, with names that disappear as soon as I pass on. My life has been spent moving from place to place, as I tried to leave myself and the truth behind.

I moved out on my own when I was sixteen. Caution had been instilled in me by my mother. Living on Coruscant as she did in the days of the Republic, she had seen firsthand the terrible power of the Imperial will and what it was capable of. She'd moved to the little planet I grew up on so that I would not be within the focus of the Imperial gaze. From an early age I understood the care I had to take. Mother had told me about how the Jedi had been ruthlessly hunted and slaughtered, tens of thousands of them. If I was ever discovered, my fate would far, far worse. So I drift, dwelling in the shadows, nameless and unknown. Alone.

Or I did. Things changed.

It was all the fault of those stupid rebels. I hadn't known they were rebels, of course. The word was that they were spice runners, shipping things that the Empire wouldn't approve of in return for a large fee. Naturally I chose to board the ship that would take me somewhere discreetly, no question asked, so that I could melt into anonymity on some other far-flung planet. Unfortunately, a bunch of stormtroopers and an Imperial officer boarded us and promptly has us all arrested as rebel spies.

We were frogmarched aboard the Imperial ship. As we made our way down the corridors, flanked by soldiers in white armour, my mouth was dry and my heart beating fast. I swallowed. Desperately I tried to remain calm, searching for some way out of my current situation. Suddenly an officer approached.

"Lord Vader will interview them separately."

_Vader._

My stomach gave a jolt. _He_ was here. I felt sick. I realised, with both excitement and dread, that after all this time running from him I was finally going to meet the man who haunted my dreams. We continued walking for a while, stopping at a metal door to the left, which the soldiers opened. I had a glimpse of a small, bare room before I was thrust inside. Stumbling forward, I heard the door clang shut behind me. I straightened up and looked around. Bright white lights glared at me from an equally white ceiling. There was a large metal desk in the middle of the room, a small metal chair on the far side of it. I went and sat on the chair, facing the closed door, I waited.

I waited for a long time. Faintly I could hear screaming. I was tempted to reach out, to find out what was happening to the others, but instinct told me that such action would only fuel my fears. So I shut myself away from the universe, aware only of myself and the small, cold white room.

I jerked to attention as the door opened and the moment I had been inexorably travelling towards since my arrest came. _He _walked through.

His presence filled the tiny room, a menacing, powerful presence full of brooding darkness. I pulled my light tighter around me so that he would not see it and become suspicious. I was awed and frightened, yet breathless with anticipation. I felt lightheaded. Here he stood, enormously tall and clothed in his mechanical, inhuman suit, the sound of his breathing cycle increasing the uncanny feeling. He looked like a terrible spectre of grim legend, a harbinger of terror and death.

Darth Vader.

And I was finally face to face with him.

"Hello, my lord," I said coolly, gazing as sardonically at him as I could. He spoke, in a voice that was as cold, expressionless, and mechanical as the rest of him.

"You and your companions were found carrying treasonous material."

"Look," I said rudely, "I didn't know they were rebels, okay? I was just hitching a lift so there's no need to-"

He hit me. I went backwards, rolling over the back of the chair as it fell and I hit the wall, hard. It hurt. In a sort of shock I laughed. Under the bright lights it all seemed so surreal. The laugh stabbed at me, and I winced.

"Ow." I turned my head, muscles jabbing painfully as I did so, so that I could see him standing there. I laughed again, this time ignoring the pain.

"You don't know who I am, do you?"

It was a stupid thing to say, but it simply rolled off my tongue before I could stop it. It just seemed so ironic, that it was _him_ doing this to me. Having said as much as I had, I was forced to continue talking.

"Remember Verena? You know, the one you had a fling with when you were still Ana-" I choked and spluttered as an invisible force latched on to my windpipe. I tried to speak, and failed. I panicked. I couldn't die, not like this. I stopped shielding, and my light burst forth in all its glory to send dazzling shimmers all around the room, bouncing off the darkness.

Suddenly I was able to breathe. Coughing, doubled over with the pain of it, I was unable to look at him. Finally the spasms ceased, and I straightened up a little where I was sprawled on the floor. He was standing there, his inaction a prod for me to keep talking. I did so.

"I'm her daughter, Verena's daughter. Brianna _Skywalker_."

There. I'd said it. The secret that I'd carried around with me since I was a small child. I felt realisation hit him. He, Darth Vader, terror of the galaxy, was my father.

"How old are you?" he demanded. The voice was cold, but the emotions swirling around him were not. Confusion, anger, astonishment, pleasure, perturbation, resentment, defiance. And pain.

It was the pain that got me. The colossal _pain_ that enshrouded him, pain at what he had done to me, pain at what I must be feeling and thinking, pain at what he had become and pain at all he had lost. As I watched the pain turned to bitterness and hate, hate of the Emperor and of himself. That in turn became anger that I had showed up in the first place and caused him to feel all he did.

"I'm twenty-three," I replied, as the anger overcame the pain.

"It was idiotic of you to go on that ship!" he boomed at me. Before I knew what was happening, he lifted me and set me on my feet, righting the chair as he did so. He turned away from me, facing the opposite wall, his anger beating at me as I leant on the desk feeling rather sick and wobbly.

"I didn't know they were rebels," I told him once more. "I'm not _stupid_. I thought they were spice runners."

His emotions swirled around me again. Painfully I sat at the chair, still leaning heavily on the desk, waiting for some calming of his feelings. Presently they subsided a little, and he turned to look at me. I looked back squarely. Mother says I have her hair, long, and golden as the sun. My smile is hers, my voice. But my eyes, and my build, tall and thin, she says are his. I wished I could see him outside his life-support system, so that I could judge the truth of this. I think of the other traits Mother says I inherited from him. There are no signs of my humour, my impulsiveness, my volatile spirit in this barely-human cyborg. Only the remains of a soul which I can only dimly perceive, and an overwhelming darkness.

He spoke.

"Stand." I tried, but my head spins and my legs give way. Stars filled my vision. As I lost consciousness, a swiftly-increasing black mist consuming all, I knew he had come close and taken hold of me. I fainted.

Groggily, I became aware once more. At first I had trouble understanding what had happened; I felt woozy and nauseous. This soon passed, however, and I realised that I was being carried down a hallway. He stopped at a door, opened it, and entered. The medic inside was startled. I suppose the sight of the Dark Lord carrying an injured, dirty, barely-conscious young woman is an unusual sight.

"Lord Vader..." the medic begins, only to be halted by the invisible grasp on his throat.

"You will treat this girl."

Vader released him, and coughing, the medic approached me. Gently I am placed on the examining table. I make no move as the medic scrutinises my injuries. Gently he probes my swelling face. Bacta is applied. The doctor makes a discovery.

"One of her ribs is fractured." The medic's voice was full of disapproval, but he is ignored. Deftly I am treated where necessary. The pain slowly subsides but for that in my left side, and the nausea lessens. Gingerly I sit up. Vader was suddenly by my side again, helping me down, and I was led briskly down more hallways with his grip on my arm.

To my surprise we entered a docking area where several non-Imperial ships are parked. Vader approached an unprepossessing individual sipping a cup of some kind of stimulant. The man eyed us warily over his mug as we came to a stop in front of him.

"Lord Vader." It is a curt acknowledgement, not the usual respectful greeting.

"You will take this girl to Brilspith," he was commanded by the cold voice that issued from the fearsome figure towering beside me. I stared up at him wonderingly, at a loss.

"You will make no stops along the way. You will be well-paid."

"Yes, my lord," the man – I assumed a pilot – replied, eying me with cautious curiosity. Am I some sort of rebel double-agent, perhaps?

I am bundled efficiently into one of the ships nearby. Vader briefly disappeared, then reappeared by my side.

"You will remain on Brilspith and keep a low profile," I am told expressionlessly. No emotion swirling around him now. I wondered what was going on. A small bag was dropped into my lap. He turned to leave, then stopped to add one more thing.

"You are no Skywalker." He left the hangar, leaving me staring after him, the pilot staring at me with a suddenly thoughtful look. I wondered just how much he knows.

As we entered open space, I looked in the bag. Credits – many credits. All hundred-credit chips. There must be thousands in my lap. I looked up to see that the pilot was watching me, flying on auto for the time being. I just stared for a moment.

"Generous of him," the pilot commented. I nodded.

"Family, are you?" His shrewd eyes continued looking at me. He's obviously grasped the import of Vader's parting words. I don't really know what to say. I think about what Vader has just done: smuggled me off the Imperial ship when he should have given me to the emperor, given me credits and a destination that will help secure my safety. So that I will not suffer his fate. I looked up at the pilot again, and my numb, swollen face managed a tiny smile.

"I was."

He regarded me some more, then turned away.

"You ever wanted to be a pilot, kid?" I wondered how he knew, then caught the slight smile on his face. Again I wondered exactly how much he knows. And who is he?

"Yeah," I reply. He nods.

"I knew a pod-racer once. Only human ever able to do it. He won a race on Tatooine when he was only nine years old. Friend of mine, he was." He looked back at me.

"Now, if he ever had a kid, I know she'd love to learn how to fly this thing before she reaches Brilspith." He grinned at me. I smiled back, realisation flooding through me.

My new life had begun.


	2. Chapter 2: Reunion

**CHAPTER TWO: REUNION**

(Entire chapter now uploaded)

Thanks to everybody who reviewed my first chapter. I actually wrote this chapter at the start of May, but I haven't had time to post it until now. How will Brianna react to meeting Vader again? Complex relationships abound. I hope you like this chapter as much as the first one. There will be five chapters in all.

R & R!

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_Three years later_

Efficiently I made my way to the royal audience chamber, making sure that my uniform was straight and my hair in order. Satisfied on these points I entered.

"Your Majesty." I bowed deeply.

"Commander Starstorm," King Septimus greeted me warmly. As a sort of royal chauffeur and pilot, I was fairly well acquainted with Brilspith's royal family.

"My family and I intend to visit the city of Kazzaa," he told me.

"When, Sire?"

"Tomorrow."

I groaned inwardly. _Tomorrow? And he tells me _now? I listened attentively as the monarch continued, giving me details of the journey. I bowed once more.

"It shall be done, Your Majesty," I replied, and exited.

Immediately I bumped into Crown Prince Aurelius. I began apologising, but he cut me off.

"Did you hear the news?" the boy asked me, eyes sparkling. I shook my head. He looked delighted.

"They've found rebels!" he told me excitedly. "Here in Illian of all places! I'm going to tell Dad now!"

_There goes the trip to Kazzaa,_ I thought. Out loud I told him,

"Good for you. Just don't let him catch you calling him 'Dad.' You know it's too informal for him to approve of you using it."

The kid just grinned cheekily at me and entered the audience chamber to inform his father of the arrests. I walked down to security headquarters.

"Hi," I said, sticking my head inside. "What's this about rebels?"

Xenophon, Captain of the Guard, glared fiercely at me.

"Which good-for-nothing officer blabbed?" he demanded.

"None. Got it off Aurelius."

I grinned. Xenophon was always full of irritation when the prince was mentioned. Like any other thirteen year old boy he had a knack for getting into trouble. When he wasn't sneaking out to visit concerts or eavesdropping on military secrets, he was doing his best to play pranks on royal security. Although Xenophon would never admit it, everyone knew that he would love to give the troublesome royal a good spanking.

Now he gave a loud sigh of annoyance.

"Drat that boy."

"Yes, sir. So did they really catch Imperial rebels?"

Xenophon gave another sigh, this time a weary one.

"Indeed they did. I've just been talking to the Imperials about it. Lord Vader will be collecting them personally. I am about to inform his Majesty."

I gawked at him.

"Lord _Vader?_" I managed to say. Xenophon nodded.

"Your mouth is hanging open, Brianna."

I shut it and continued to stare at him. I was shaken.

"So he'll be here? Himself?"

Xenophon just nodded again.

"Oh, shit."

He gave me a look filled with grim humour.

"Precisely."

As I expected, the trip to Kazzaa was postponed. Everyone was tense and inclined to snap at each other. The royal palace was a flurry of activity as staff made sure that everything was in order. I spent my time checking that the royal vehicles were in prime condition and in reprimanding some of the messier drivers and pilots.

The next day everyone was on edge waiting for Vader's arrival. I was walking briskly through the servant's gardens in an attempt to dispel some of my own nerves when I noticed a wet figure clambering out of a nearby pond. I ran over. Aurelius looked at me sheepishly, water dripping down his hair in little wriggles. I regarded him for a moment.

"I fell in the pond," the prince explained needlessly. I sighed.

"Come on."

Aurelius followed me obediently as I took him into his own quarters and called the maids.

"Hey!" he protested as he was forcibly undressed and thrust into the shower.

"Wash!" I ordered, waiting until he began using the soap before I left the bathroom. I was aware that he was hideously embarrassed, but that was his own fault.

As soon as we heard the water stop myself and the maids burst in and began drying Aurelius with voluminous towels.

"Stop it!" the prince shrieked as I began using the hairdryer and comb ruthlessly. The maids were busy helping him into a dry suit.

Ten minutes later we had an impeccably dressed, neat young man glowering before us.

At that moment another maid rushed in.

"Lord Vader's arrived!" she said breathlessly. I grabbed Aurelius by the arm and dragged him out of the room.

"I hate you, Bree," my charge muttered as we approached the great hall. Inside King Septimus was introducing his family to Lord Vader.

"And this is my son, Aurelius," he announced as we entered the room, waving a hand in the young prince's direction. Vader turned to stare unnervingly at him. Aurelius executed a respectful bow. Behind Vader the family was sending me grateful looks and mouthing thank-yous.

Vader's gaze shifted to me. Seeing that I had attracted the Dark Lord's attention, Septimus introduced me.

"Commander Starstorm, Captain of the Royal Fleet," he declared.

_Fleet?_ I thought. _Bit of an exaggeration._ I bowed. Vader continued to observe me. He had recognized me, of course, and appeared to be considering my current status.

"No doubt you are a loyal subject of the Empire, Commander?" he asked finally.

"Yes, my lord," I replied.

He continued to stare at me for a moment, then turned back to King Septimus. I left the great hall with the rest of the family.

"Thank you for finding him, Bree," Queen Antonia said gratefully. "Where was he?"

"In a pond, your Highness. Fortunately myself and some maids were able to make him presentable in time."

The queen turned to glare at her son, who sent me a look of deep reproach. I grinned at him.

"Gods you're a pain, Aurelius," his elder sister Lavinia remarked. Aurelius poked his tongue out at her and was called to order by his mother.

I excused myself and made my way back to the great hall to see what was happening. I crept inside in time to see two humans, both with binders around their wrists, being escorted through one of the doorways by Xenophon and the Royal Guard.

"Princess," Vader greeted the young woman, who glared fiercely. His gaze shifted to the young man, who wore a rather grim expression.

"Skywalker."

I let out a small yelp at that. Xenophon glared at me. I stayed put.

Vader and the young man acted as though no one else was there, their eyes locked with each other.

"You will pay dearly for your treason," Vader warned Skywalker. Skywalker just continued to stare at him. Vader turned to Xenophon.

"Have them taken aboard my ship," he instructed the man. Xenophon saluted.

"Yes, my lord," he answered immediately and signaled to the Royal Guard.

I caught up with them in the hallway.

"Commander Starstorm," Xenophon said grimly. I ignored him.

"Your name's Skywalker?" I asked the young man urgently.

He nodded.

"Son of Anakin?" I pressed.

His head jerked back so that he could look at me properly, sudden alertness and wariness in his eyes.

"Yes," he replied. "I am Like Skywalker, son of Anakin Skywalker."

Before I could ask any more, Xenophon growled,

"Go elsewhere, Commander! Imperial prisoners are none of your business!"

I glared at him.

"_Commander_," I said pointedly, "please remember that technically I am your equal in rank. Please remember also that it is perfectly legal to question someone about their parentage."

I stalked down the hallway. I rounded a corner and was about to head towards my quarters when there was the sound of heavy footsteps and Lord Vader came into view.

We regarded each other. My heart was beating rather fast.

"I trust that your ribs have fully healed, Commander."

No acknowledgement of our relationship. Strictly professional. I inclined my head respectfully.

"Indeed they have, my lord," I said, vivid memories of the pain the fractures had caused flitting across my mind. It seemed a long time ago. The world that I had inhabited as Brianna Skywalker seemed rather unreal compared to my current existence.

I cleared my throat.

"I couldn't help wondering, my lord, as to the identity of the male prisoner."

What I meant, of course, was _he's my brother, isn't he?_

Vader gazed at me assessingly.

"The daughter of Verena DeSilva is his half-sister," he said at last.

I bowed my head again.

"Thank you, my lord."

Abruptly Vader swept past me, cloak billowing, to disappear through a door.

I realized suddenly how glad I had been to see him again. I felt the loss of a father-presence in my life. What I really wanted, I admitted to myself, was to be treated as his daughter, to feel accepted and wanted by him.

Tears prickled behind my eyelids. Such an event would never occur, of course. My longing would not affect the issue. I tried to give my thoughts a new direction.

So I had a brother. That was interesting. Skywalker obviously knew who Vader was. That was interesting too. I wondered if the Emperor knew of him. Probably. If there was a Skywalker working actively against the Empire you could bet that the Emperor would hear of it. My mind suddenly came alert. That meant… I stopped dead.

Luke would be turned to the Dark Side, like my father. He would suffer the terrible fate I had spent my life trying to avoid.

I continued to stand there, loyalties warring with each other. I couldn't let my own brother be sacrificed to the Emperor's ends, yet to disobey my father after all he had done for me at his own risk…

Eventually common sense won.

_There is nothing you can do. Better that the Emperor gets him than both of you._

Heavy-hearted, I slowly made my way to my quarters, thinking about the complicated relationships that held my family apart.


	3. Chapter 3: Conspiracy

**CHAPTER THREE: CONSPIRACY**

I know, I know, I should have typed this earlier. But I'm in my senior year and I've been so busy! There are about three more chapters to go, but they should go up faster than the last lot have. I should have a bit more time for them now.

Please R & R!

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Vader stayed on Brilspith for a few more days, making sure that no more dangerous rebels infested the quiet planet. He visited various cities, checking that all the various Imperial systems were in place. As the best pilot on the planet and Captain of the Royal Fleet, I was given the responsibility of flying the Dark Lord to the desired locations. There was little conversation aboard. I was, of course, in the cockpit and so was separated from the passengers, but I learnt from the few servants accompanying us that the stormtroopers played gambling games in their section while the officers and Vader spent their time staring out at the landscape. Every now and again I felt the brief, magnetic touch of his mind upon mine as he checked the status of the flight. An instant later he would be gone, satisfied that there were no problems.

I was piloting yet another inter-city flight, the co-pilot dozing beside me, when I felt a prickle of danger. I jerked the ship to the right. A second later there was an explosion from our left. We were under attack!

Instantly his mind was with mine, searching for information. With one hand I flicked on the intercom, sending the vehicle into a dive with the other.

"We are under attack," I said calmly, executing a flawless barrel roll. There was another explosion, from behind us this time. The ship was jolted by the wave of air speeding outwards from it.

"Please fasten your seatbelts," I added, rather belatedly. Another tinge of warning, and I slung the ship around, avoiding an impact once again. Beside me the co-pilot scrambled for the cockpit guns.

Behind us the door opened. I didn't need to hear the hiss of mechanical breathing to tell me who had joined us. I had other concerns, however. I concentrated on avoiding the explosives being shot at us.

Vader hauled the co-pilot out of the gunner's seat and sent him stumbling sideways into the wall. Vader seated himself at the weapon controls, and next moment, father and daughter were both absorbed in keeping those on the ship alive. It was a decidedly weird moment. Suddenly there was a spark of agony below us, which faded out almost instantly. Vader sat back, Force-probing the area around us for other attackers.

"We are free from hindrance," the Dark Lord stated, rising. "You are an excellent pilot, Commander."

"Thank you, my lord," I murmured, genuinely pleased. The door was shut, leaving me with a bewildered co-pilot and a calm horizon.

I was glad when we finally reached Ololda. The remainder of the journey had been tiring, and I could feel Vader's brooding anger flickering on the edge of my consciousness the entire way. Consequently I welcomed the chance to relax for a while.

It was not to be. As I was wearily making my way towards the room that I had been assigned to, a large, black-clad figure fell into step beside me. I tried not to groan.

"Commander Starstorm," he said.

"Lord Vader," I acknowledged. There was a short silence.

"How strong are you in the Force?" he asked. I sent him a startled sideways glance.

"Fairly strong, my lord," I replied, and relaxed my tight shields slightly to allow him a glimpse.

"You are untrained?"

"Indeed, my lord."

There was silence for a while.

"With whom do your loyalties lie, to myself or the Emperor?"

My mouth dropped open and I stared at him a moment before recalling myself.

"To both, where possible," I said cautiously. Where was this leading?

"And where impossible?"

"To my kin before strangers," I admitted reluctantly.

"Yet I notice that your brother is still imprisoned," he observed dryly.

"As you wished," I pointed out. "My lord," I added.

Abruptly he left me, clearly signalling an end to the conversation. I shook my head. The man had no social skills.

The rest of Lord Vader's stay on Brilspith passed uneventfully. I wasn't sure whether to be disappointed or relieved; such events were exciting, yet I thought that I would probably grow sick of them after a while.

The day of Lord Vader's departure I was summoned by King Septimus. I arrived at the royal audience chamber to find not only Septimus, but Vader there also. This appeared ominous.

"Ah, Commander Starstorm," Septimus greeted me, in his best paternal manner. I regarded him warily.

"Lord Vader has been telling me how impressed he was by your piloting skills during his stay," Septimus informed me. "He feels that such skills are wasted on a peaceful planet such as Brilspith."

Vader spoke.

"I am offering you the position of personal wingman, Commander. Black 3."

I caught my lower jaw just in time. One of Lord Vader's personal wingmen? That was high up! _He really _must _think I'm good,_ I thought. Or he had some kind of family loyalty, or something.

I looked up, coming out of my reverie. He was waiting for me to answer him.

"I would be honoured, Lord Vader," I said sincerely, "to take up the position of Black 3."

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I found life as Black 3 difficult at first. Protocol was obeyed far more strictly aboard _The Executor_ than it was on Brilspith, and it took me a while before I became used to the change.

Dealing with the people was hard, too. Here you were a soldier first, a person second. As an officer I was entitled to a certain amount of respect, and usually received it from the troopers; as one of only a handful of women, however, I found myself a target for discrimination by the other officers. People pushed past me, spoke over me, sneered, and generally went out of their way to be insulting. I remained professional throughout, but inside I burned with anger. The fact that I was a woman had no effect on my ability. It was simple prejudice.

One morning about two months after I had joined the Imperials I received a summons from Lord Vader himself. I hadn't seen him since Brilspith, but had heard that he had been in a bad mood for a couple of weeks after we had reached Coruscant. Apparently Skywalker and his companion had managed to escape on their way to the Emperor. Vader had been most displeased, and several officer positions had suddenly become available to those who were eager for promotion. I had felt his mind touch mine every so often, but that was all.

Now, as I approached Vader's quarters, I found myself becoming rather nervous. _What could he want to see me about?_ I wondered.

The door in front of me opened.

"Enter, Black 3."

I did so, assuming a mask of confidence that I didn't feel.

The room was large and spacious, with few possessions to clutter the room. The door shut behind me. I looked at Vader where he was seated by a computer console, watching me. I bowed deeply.

"Lord Vader."

He waved a hand at me impatiently.

"Such formalities are unnecessary when no one else is present, "he stated. I said nothing, merely waiting to discover why I had been summoned.

"Someone as talented as yourself should be trained."

I blinked in surprise, but said firmly,

"Not as Sith."

There was a cold silence. I tried to quench my fear.

"You choose the Light?" Disapproval came through. I shook my head.

"I choose the grey," I said quietly, "as I have always done. Neither Light nor Dark, yet both."

He considered this. I held my breath.

"You have always been thus?" he queried. I nodded, memories of whiling the hours of my childhood away through the practice of Force-skills coming vividly to mind.

"I found," I said carefully," that it was possible to balance the two out so that they worked together. I have been taught little of the Force, but I know that as long as one gives as much as one takes, possession does not occur."

Anger radiated from the figure before me, and I wondered if I'd said too much. I'd just implied that _he_ was possessed, after all.

"You are willing to learn the Sith ways nonetheless?"

"Yes… Father." I tacked the last word on tentatively, but it passed without comment.

"Then, my apprentice, let us begin."

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In my spare time I joined my father in his chambers, learning Force-techniques I hadn't even known existed. I soon learnt the basics of mental communication, which lead to some disconcerting exchanges in the middle of the night when I was half-asleep and allowed my mind to wander. Once Vader even found himself experiencing one of my dreams, a bizarre combination of memories and nightmare. I was mortified the next morning when he commented dryly on some of my teenage exploits. Fortunately, I learnt to keep my thoughts to myself, and such embarrassing incidents for the most part ceased.

I also learn the art of lightsaber fighting. To begin with we used plasteel replicas, so that neither of us would be harmed inadvertently.

Meanwhile I was spending every other moment fulfilling my duties as an officer and pilot. Black 1 and 2 resented that fact that I did so well, perhaps feeling that my presence threatened their own lofty positions. The fact that I was both young – twenty six – and female only increased their animosity. I bore it with fortitude, contenting myself with the reflection that they would be terrified of me if they ever knew my parentage.

At night I fell into bed exhausted.

One night Vader contacted me just as I was falling asleep.

_/Daughter./_

_/Hey Dad/_ I thought sleepily.

_/Don't call me Dad./_ There was clearly annoyance in his mental tone.

_/What is it/_ I asked, grinning to myself slightly.

_/Have you ever wondered why I am teaching you/_

_/Frequently/_ I replied, suddenly wide awake.

_/The Emperor is mismanaging the Empire/ _Vader told me rapidly. _/He employs harshness when diplomacy is required, punishes those who would otherwise be loyal. He has become overconfident./_

I digested this. He went on.

_/The Emperor is too strong for me to defeat alone, yet with your assistance, and perhaps that of another…/_

_/Luke/ _I questioned.

_/Luke./_

I thought of my brother for the first time in ages. What had happened to him? Where was he? I reached out with the Force, along the bond of blood that bound us. He was sleeping somewhere, vague thoughts and images drifting across his slumbering mind. I withdrew as gently as I had entered, careful not to wake him. If he realised that the bond was there then he would raise his shields against it, and I didn't want that.

_/He's pretty powerful/ _I told my father. _/And independent. He might not want to join us./_

_/He doesn't have to know what we plan/ _Vader replied. _/Surely manipulation would have some effect/_

I thought about it.

_/It would be more likely to succeed if I told him/_ I decided. _/As the honest, affectionate sister that he never knew he had./_

We talked a little while longer before we dropped the connection. We had the plan sorted. Now all we needed to do was set the stage.

-------

Whew! Kind of getting corrupted a little, isn't she? Please LMK what you think.

Brianna is really a rather mischievous person who delights in being annoying, but she's grown up having to be cautious and all that and as a result she tends come across as fairly reserved and solemn. She's naturally resourceful, too, so that generally in this story she comes across as a… much more serious, responsible person. In the sequel to this story, though, she is in a situation where she doesn't have to be careful and so becomes much more outgoing and impulsive and ends up being a bit of a troublemaker – you know, the one who always makes irrepressible, totally inappropriate remarks when you just want them to shut up so you can be diplomatic. She really enjoys herself in the next one, actually. :)

With the Vader-Brianna relationship, Vader is, I think, attached to her, although of course he isn't very… demonstrative. Right now, although she doesn't realize it, Brianna is a very engaging and positive influence on him. In the next story he's much more the exasperated father, and although he spends half his time in that telling her how annoying she is he's really very proud of her and loves her very much.

But I think that's enough of a footnote for now, right?


	4. Chapter Four: A Pact is Made

**CHAPTER FOUR: A PACT IS MADE**

Okay, okay, shoot me. I didn't type this up like I said I would. Sorry. I had too much going on to dig out a bunch of papers and sit and type. Next chapter is the last one, so I will endeavour to post it reasonably soon.

Please R & R!

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A year after I had begun serving under Vader, it appeared that we would finally be able to begin carrying out our plan, agreed on months before. In the meantime I had been promoted to Black 2 and finished my training as Vader's secret apprentice. I now spent a great deal of time training the new Black 3, a man some years my senior yet far below me in ability. In my spare time I practiced my Force-skills and occasionally joined my father in his quarters in order to brush up on my lightsaber skills. My hidden role looked like it might finally begin to pay off when Imperial spies reported a possible location for the rebel base.

The_ Executor_ made its way to the small planet and stormtroopers were dispatched while myself and the other pilots waited, ready to attack any ships attempting to flee the planet. We didn't have to wait long. Small crafts soon came shooting out of the atmosphere, and we went after them. I went wheeling after Vader as he pursued a ship, protecting his TIE from rebels. We flew around for some time, taking out rebels trying to escape. We returned to the _Executor_ just as the rebel prisoners were brought aboard. I was in the docking bay when I felt a sudden twinge. I turned, and, sure enough, Luke was escorted past a moment later. His face was blank, and I knew that he was watching and waiting until he had a change to attempt to change the situation he was in.

_/Luke is here/_ I told Vader. He absorbed this, then cut the connection. I followed the stormtroopers, keeping an eye on Luke. His mind was watchful, wary, taking note of all he saw. I tapped on his light shields, alerting him to my presence.

_/Who are you/_

_/Brianna Skywalker/_ I replied promptly. There was shock at the other end. _/I'm your sister./_

I broke the contact and went striding towards the detention block, where I knew I would find my father. I turned a corner and smacked straight into someone else with the same purposeful stride.

He put out a gloved hand to steady me while I rubbed my nose, which had hit the ebony armour straight-on.

"I made contact and told him who I was before cut it off again," I told Vader.

He nodded.

"I will speak to you later," he said shortly, and turned to return to the detention block in search of his son before Luke attracted unpleasant attention from the officers.

---------------------------------

Later in the evening I was called to Vader's quarters. I had received no news all day of either my father or my brother and so I was glad of the summons. The door opened as I approached.

"Enter, Black 2."

I walked into the room to find Vader watching Luke, who was gazing out the observation window with his mouth set in a hard line. With infinite care I lowered my shields a little, enough for anyone Force-sensitive in the room to perceive the light and darkness swirling around me. Luke whirled and stared at me, his face still expressionless but his eyes disbelieving.

"Brianna," Vader stated, "I believe you have met Skywalker before now."

I nodded.

"When I was in charge of the royal fleet on Brilspith."

Recognition came to Luke. I studied him. There were new lines on his face, and a weary look in the blue eyes.

"You look like you've had a hard time lately," I observed, genuinely sympathetic. I looked at our father.

"Do not look so accusing," Vader rebuked. "Anything that he has suffered is a result of his own folly. We make our own choices." He turned to Luke. "It is time for you, my son, to make a choice."

I spoke.

"No one in this galaxy is powerful enough to overthrow the Emperor," I said frankly. "Certainly not your precious Alliance. Only a combination of certain powerful people could possibly be sufficient. A combination of the three remaining people in the galaxy who have been trained to use the Force."

Realisation hit Luke. His shields slammed up, but not before we saw…

"There is another?" I asked. "Another strong in the Force?"

He didn't answer, so I returned to the subject of the discussion.

"We aim to replace Palpatine," I said briskly. "Our father may not be merciful but he would be just, and he would pull the galaxy out of the spiral of destruction that it is currently descending."

"I will never join the Sith," my brother declared.

"I am no Sith," I told him, allowing him to sense the truth in my words. "Nor Jedi. I am one who follows neither path. I am Light and Dark. I am Twilight."

I walked to the chair by the computer console and sat in it. I looked at Vader.

_/Your turn./_

He stepped forward.

"Joining us is the only way in which you will ever defeat the Emperor," he rumbled. "All I desire is order and peace in the galaxy. It is all I have ever wanted."

Luke's eyes widened as he perceived the truth of Vader's last statement.

"It was the desire for the corruption in the Republic to cease that caused me to turn to the Dark Side," my father continued, radiating sincerity. "I believed that the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine would restore justice. I was mistaken."

Brooding silence for a moment.

"All I really wanted was the wellbeing of the galaxy. Yet your mother's way was far more effective in the end."

I was interested.

"Luke's mother?"

"My mother?" Luke repeated, losing some of his defensiveness.

"Senator Padme Amidala, former Queen of Naboo."

There was anguish present in the mechanical voice.

"How'd you meet her?" I asked. There was a moment of hesitation.

"I was living on Tatooine," Vader said finally, "with my mother. We were the slaves of a Toydarian named Watto." He ignored Luke's shocked gasp and my look of surprise. "When I was nine years old a disabled ship landed on Tatooine, carrying the Queen of Naboo, the Jedi Qui-Gonn Jinn, and his padawan, Obi Wan Kenobi."

Another noise from Luke, partly muffled this time.

"The Jedi had me freed and when they left I went with them." His voice softened. "Padme had been masquerading as a handmaiden for her own safety. I cane to be friends with her. When I first saw her, I thought that she was the most beautiful creature that I had ever seen. I asked her if she was an angel."

Somehow I couldn't imagine Vader as such a child. From the look on Luke's face, he couldn't either.

"I did not see her again until ten years later when Kenobi and I were assigned to protect the now-senator from assassins. Padme and I fell in love and secretly married."

There was a thoughtful silence.

"What happened?" Luke asked.

"She died giving birth to you." Vader's voice was colder than I had ever heard it. Luke became wary again.

"I have no doubt, however, that she would be very proud of–" He stopped. I'd caught it too.

"Sister?" I asked in astonishment. "You have a twin _sister?_"

Luke looked horrified at his slip.

"Padme had twins," Vader said expressionlessly. "That would explain her difficulties in childbirth."

"That means I have a sister too!" I exclaimed, suddenly filled with enthusiasm. I looked at Luke.

"Who is she?"

Luke debated whether or not to tell us, his face mirroring his indecision.

"Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan," he said at last.

"Organa?" Vader repeated sharply. Luke nodded reluctantly.

"She does not know," he added. "Only I was told."

He looked at vader flatly.

"If I failed, she was their only hope."

"Whose hope?" demanded my father.

"Obi Wan and Yoda's."

"Yoda lives." The voice was chilling,

Luke shook his head.

"No longer. He is one with the Force now."

Vader wheeled to face me.

"Escort the prisoner to the detention block, Black 2," he ordered.

"Yes, my lord," I saluted, snapping back into my role as an Imperial officer. The binders attached themselves to Luke's wrists and the door opened. I gestured to some stormtroopers walking past.

"Lord Vader commands that the prisoner be escorted to the detention block," I informed them.

"Yes ma'am," said one, and the group joined us. I didn't look at Luke as we headed towards the cell block, but lowered my shields a little.

_/So whaddaya think, Luke/ _ I sent. He glanced sideways at me, but I did nto glance back. I was strictly an officer right now.

_/I don't know what I think./_

_/You sure disturbed him, telling him about your twin. Sure surprised me. I mean, _damn,_ how many kids does he _have_ floating around out there/_

There was a flicker at the corner of Luke's mouth.

_/So, you're Brianna Skywalker, huh/_

_/I go by Starstorm now. Brianna Skywalker isn't too safe. You never knew you had a big sister, did you/_

_/Did he/ _Luke asked shrewdly.

_/Not until I was arrested aboard a rebel ship/_ I replied wryly. _/I'd thought I was aboard a smuggling craft./_

_/What happened/_

_/I was flung away to Brilspith with severe bruising and a broken rib./_ I gave a mental wince.

_/He did it/ _Concern.

_/When he was interrogating me, before he found out who I was. Scariest moment of my life, meeting him. Yet I was kind of glad it had finally happened./_

"Who's this?" the officer in charge demanded as we entered the detention block. I saluted.

"The prisoner was with Lord Vader, sir," I replied. "He is to be returned to his cell."

"Hmm." The officer gave me a grouchy look. "You seem to be back in favour again, Starstorm."

"Yes, sir," I said brightly. He snorted.

"You may return to your duties."

I left, shielding my mind from Luke and connecting to quite a different presence.

_/Dad/_

_/Don't call me Dad./ _Irritation.

_/He's back in detention block. What now/_

_/leave him to reflect on our offer. Converse with him if he so wishes./_

_/Yo./_

_/What did you say, Brianna/_ Suspicion.

_/I said 'yo.' It means 'yes.'/_

_/You will not use it within my presence./_

_/But I'm not within your presence/_ I pointed out.

There was a strong sense of menace.

_/But I get your point/_ I added. _/No 'yo's./_

_/Good./_

_/He really shocked you today, didn't he/_

_/Yes./_

I let it go at that.

---------------------------------

Late that night I was suddenly woken by the touch of another awareness.

_You have odd dreams/_ Luke remarked, unabashed. I sent him a mental glare.

_/Why'd you wake me/_ I demanded.

_/Nothing else to do./_

I growled and rolled over, shutting him out before remembering Vader's instructions. Reluctantly I let him in again.

_/Thanks/_ Luke said. He sounded bored. _/So when did you join this lot/_

_/After the events on Brilspith. Vader oversaw the planet while he was there, and I was the pilot of the ship he travelled on. We were attacked, and I flew with sufficient skill to impress him./_

I stopped as someone stumbled into the room. How the hell'd they get in? The reek of alcohol hit me a moment later. The officer straightened a little, grinning.

_/Excuse me a moment./_

"What are you doing in here?" I demanded indignantly. The inebriated man gave a drunken giggle.

"Came to pay you company," he slurred, leering. At least, I assumed that that was what he said. He couldn't even speak a proper sentence.

"Oh, for the Force," I muttered, climbing out of bed.

Next moment the surprised officer found himself sprawled in the hallway. This time I made sure that the door to my quarters was properly locked.

_/That happen often/_

_/Not this sort of thing, no./ _I was disgusted. _/Usually it's limited to sneers and unpleasant remarks./_

_/There aren't many women in the Imperial forces, are there/ _Curiosity.

_/Very few. His Imperial Majesty is a sexist bastard as well as a racist one./_

I was unable to hide my anger. Darkness flared at the edges of my aura. I changed the subject.

_/So, what's Leia like/_

There was a mental chuckle.

_/Very strong-minded. She's one of the leaders of the Alliance. A lot of people are afraid of her./_

Another chuckle.

_/She's also very short./_

_/Not like me and Father, then. Mind you, most people are short next to him./_

I sent Luke an imagined image of an open-mouthed Admiral Piett gaping up at a house-sized Vader. My brother couldn't help laughing.

_/You seem to know him fairly well/_ he observed, once he'd calmed down.

_/I guess so./_ Thoughtfully. _/I'm the only person he can really talk to, you see. He's lonely./_

I was surprised to find myself saying this, but realized that it was true.

_/He pretends that he dislikes me, but he's fond of me really. I think I'm like he was, a little. He's fond of you, too/_ I added as an afterthought.

_/Of me/_ Luke was astonished.

_/He can't admit that there's anything human left in him/_ I explained. I grinned. _/Call him 'Dad' and you'll soon find that out. Night, Luke./_

_/Goodnight, Brianna./_

---------------------------------

The next day I found myself escorting my brother again, this time from the detention block to Vader's quarters.

I entered, Luke walking in front of me.

"Hello, Dad," Luke said blandly.

Vader turned and looked at me accusingly. I pinned an innocent expression to my face. He turned back to Luke. Immediately I gave an evil grin.

"Don't call me 'Dad'," he rumbled, disapproval infusing his voice. Luke's lips twitched. I winked at him. I decided that I like Luke. He had a sense of humour.

"Son," Vader intoned, completely the menacing Dark Lord once more. "What is your choice?"

/_You'll get me out of this, in the end/_

_/Every time./_ I replied.

"I will help you depose Palpatine, but no more," Luke said unwillingly. Father looked at me. I frowned at him. If he was going to pull his son into the workings of the Empire after he became Emperor, he could do it by himself.

"I have told the Emperor that you are here," Vader told Luke, accepting the situation for the moment. "He is on his way."

My eyes sparkled.

"Our moment approaches?"

"Indeed."

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A ha! So now Luke's in it, too! Palpatine is _so_ going down.


End file.
